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Scale Accuracy????

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Chena83
Chena83 Posts: 111 Member
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With all this new technology.... I decided to buy a simple scale from Wal-mart that tells me my BF, bone weight, muscle weight, BMI, and weight. Now that I have INCREASED my protien slightly and REDUCED my fat slightly, I have been loosing weight on a consistent basis. HOWEVER, the scale says I have LOST .4 in bone weight and 3 lbs in muscle? I am wondering if this scale is reliable in those areas? Does anyone else scale say that?

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  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
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    I'd pay it little or no attention.
    What counts, sometimes more than weight-loss - is how you feel in your clothes, and how you look in the mirror.

    I've yet to meet anyone here who is in the remotest bit concerned with bone weight loss? Really?

    Jeesh.

    Muscle loss is an 'extreme' problem. In a nutshell, you'll begin to lose muscle mass if you get your macros and intake wrong.... But bone weight/loss?
    Hmmmm. I don't think so!
  • Violet_Flux
    Violet_Flux Posts: 481 Member
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    I don't believe those scales are all that accurate. Especially for stuff like measuring bone / muscle / fat / hydration. They usually use a method of measuring resistance or impedance with a low electrical current, but it has a great deal of variables that can make it hit or miss IMHO.

    If I'm not mistaken, just the amount of water you have in you at a given time can skew the readings one way or another.
  • Chena83
    Chena83 Posts: 111 Member
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    @AlexandraCarlyle and @Steph_Maks thanks sooo much for the insight. I was wondering how it calculated all that. I am working on getting BACK into my Old Navy sizs 16...and my progress pics are looking REALLY good. I am happy. Thanks again.
  • KenSmith108
    KenSmith108 Posts: 1,966 Member
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    ob47if535d23.gif

    >:) or o:)
  • Chena83
    Chena83 Posts: 111 Member
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    KenSmith108 wrote: »
    ob47if535d23.gif

    >:) or o:)

    Bahahahaha... so truuue!!!
  • 2t9nty
    2t9nty Posts: 1,580 Member
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    Despite the fact that I track all the fancy scale features, I am mostly concerned with the weight.
  • mandycat223
    mandycat223 Posts: 502 Member
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    Steph_Maks wrote: »
    I don't believe those scales are all that accurate. Especially for stuff like measuring bone / muscle / fat / hydration. They usually use a method of measuring resistance or impedance with a low electrical current, but it has a great deal of variables that can make it hit or miss IMHO.

    If I'm not mistaken, just the amount of water you have in you at a given time can skew the readings one way or another.

    Really. I'm surprised this gadget doesn't provide a daily horoscope and read out the ten day weather forecast while it's at it.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    I'm assuming it's using bioimpedance to measure - which is definitely not 100% accurate, but if you find a scale that's consistent, I find it to be a useful metric. I always measure naked and first thing in the morning, measure 3 times and take the average. I had a little handheld that was very consistent, however it died and now I have ordered a scale style replacement, which I'm hoping will be just as good.

    The biggest thing that will throw your numbers off is hydration. Water retention or dehydration will definitely skew the numbers, so I avoid measuring if I've had alcohol the night before and I kind of ignore the measurements during PMS week when I know I'm bloated and full of water. It's like any other metric, there is a certain margin of error, but overall trends can still be useful to know and track.
  • urbansmamma
    urbansmamma Posts: 202 Member
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    A dexa scan is the most accurate way to track body mass.
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
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    mandycat223 wrote: »
    Steph_Maks wrote: »
    I don't believe those scales are all that accurate. Especially for stuff like measuring bone / muscle / fat / hydration. They usually use a method of measuring resistance or impedance with a low electrical current, but it has a great deal of variables that can make it hit or miss IMHO.

    If I'm not mistaken, just the amount of water you have in you at a given time can skew the readings one way or another.

    Really. I'm surprised this gadget doesn't provide a daily horoscope and read out the ten day weather forecast while it's at it.

    It does, but it thinks everyone who stands on it is Libra.
    And the weather in the UK at the mo' is so unseasonal, it's off the scale.

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